


Spider-Man: What Makes a Hero?

by worrywormfanfic



Category: Marvel, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Marvel Universe, Multi, Secret Identity, Team Up, With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29334216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/worrywormfanfic/pseuds/worrywormfanfic
Summary: The MARVEL Universe imagined as a twenty-year timeline with Spider-Man as the main character... first Peter Parker, and then Miles Morales. Characters tagged are planned to be a significant part of either character's life, there will be many other characters in the story. This will probably be a long one.Featuring: Lots of Spider-Man villains, The Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, many MARVEL villains, Iceman, Firestar, Sinister Six, S.H.I.E.L.D., Heroes for Hire, a lot of other super heroes and teams, ask me about any character I probably have some plan for them.
Kudos: 3





	1. Origins of a Spider

I’d always hoped I could make a difference in this world. I never knew what that difference could be or what it could look like, but I had never imagined swinging from a web across New York City. I suppose no-one is ever ready to face their destiny. With great power comes great responsibility, and if you ask me, I have one of the greatest powers I could ever ask for.

Anyway, I’m probably getting ahead of myself. My name is Peter Parker, and this is my story. This is also the story of Spider-Man. I am he and he is me… that was corny. So, the beginnings. It all started with a high school field trip.

I was sixteen years old and something of a science prodigy. My school barely had any great science programs, but it was all my aunt and uncle could afford. However, the nearby college was known for some revolutionary stuff. Just last week, I heard that four teens about my age had been selected as part of some sort of space mission. I didn’t know much about the particulars, but the news had caught my eye. I spent a great deal of my time there, at least as much as I could get away with. My science teacher took notice of this and for the last three weeks had been planning a class field trip to the laboratories.

A man named Curtis Connors was in charge of the projects that our school had been cleared to observe that day. He showed us genetically engineered super spiders, mice that had regrown limbs after having their genes spliced with lizards, it all seemed kind of surreal. I might have objected to the research, had it not been for a chance spider bite.

“Attention students, the field trip is over. We have lost track of one of our subjects, it is of vital importance that you all evacuate now,” said Curtis.

I felt a sting on my hand and I passed out. Man, super spider, he wasn’t kidding. I woke up a day later, in the hospital, with Curtis Connors, Aunt May, and Uncle Ben next to me.

“Well, I didn’t think the damage was that severe. It’s good that he’s awake,” said Curtis.

“Is that all you can say? He got bitten by some crazy new species of spider…” said Uncle Ben.

“Yes, well he will be fine. Though I have some scientific concerns that for everyone’s sake, are best left between Peter and myself.”

Doctor Connors escorted my aunt and uncle out of the room, and closed the door behind them.

“Doc? What’s going on? Is there something wrong with me?”

“I’ll be honest, I don’t know. This isn’t the first science experiment gone wrong lately.”

“The day before yesterday, Bruce Banner was caught in the blast radius of a nuclear weapon at a testing facility. And in today’s news…”

Curtis turned on the hospital TV, and selected a recording of today’s news.

“Tragedy strikes today as four teen researchers go missing after cosmic rays bombarded their research vessel. Updates to follow.”

“What are you getting at?” I asked.

“There’s a growing concern that the days of super humans will return, wilder than ever before. A government agency calling themselves S.H.I.E.L.D. showed great interest in my research.”

Doctor Connors paused to let his words sink in. “If you should exhibit any super powers, please do not be afraid to come to me and talk about it.”

At first I doubted the idea that such a bite would lead to super powers, but then I started to notice that my eyesight had corrected itself. I figured there would be no harm in telling him.

“I’m not sure that counts as a super power, but it’s certainly interesting. I’ll make a note of it.”

That was the last I saw of him that day. I spent the rest of the day holed up in my room, wondering what powers a spider bite could possibly give me.

Spinning a web? No, I don’t have an abdominal spinneret. But that gives me an idea… developing a strong polymer - wait, wasn’t I already working on that? Yes, and I was so close. My limitations as a teenager proved a great hurdle to this goal. I think, if I were to finish developing it, perhaps I should keep it to myself. Wouldn’t want it to be available to just anyone. Only issue is trademarks and patents. Well, if someone else comes along and steals my tech, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. Hm, it’s harder than I thought to get this stuff done.

My mind had exhausted all thoughts of developing a man-made web-like substance, and I was now back to thinking of a spider’s powers. Hm, increased reflexes, strength, stamina, senses… it’s all possible in theory, but no way to test it. Then, as I stared at my hands, I noticed tiny hairs sticking up from the tips of my fingers. Hm, a way to stick to surfaces, maybe?

I touched my bedroom wall with my finger, and then tried to pull it away. It was stuck! My finger was stuck to the wall, and I was amazed by my discovery. I then placed my whole hand on the wall and saw that it could stick too. I placed my other hand further up the wall. I tried to place my foot on the wall, but it seemed I could not do so. At that point I wondered if only my hands were effective. Determined not to give up, however, I removed my shoe and tried again. To my surprise, it was a success. It seemed that breathable fabrics such as socks did not affect my hairs, but they could not reach through something solid like a shoe.

“Peter, come down, it’s dinner time!”

Aunt May’s sudden call snapped me out of the world I had entered in that moment, and my hands and foot slid off the wall. I made a mental note that perhaps I needed to be focussed in order to achieve the desired result.

“Son, er, nephew…” started Uncle Ben.

“It’s fine. Did you want to say something?” I asked reassuringly.

“Well, I reckon it’s time we had a talk.”

“Oh, I can go if you like,” said Aunt May.

“It’s not that kind of a talk dear.”

“Oh?”

“It’s about becoming a man.”

“I thought you said it wasn’t that kind of talk?” said Aunt May, teasingly.

“No, it’s about identity, responsibilities, that kind of thing.”

“Oh sure. Well, I’ll probably tune out anyway. It’s not my talk to give or receive.”

After this exchange, Uncle Ben’s attention was placed firmly on me again.

“Listen, champ. Life can feel like it’s pulling you in all directions, or perhaps trapping you in a giant web. But always remember, with great power comes great responsibility. If you have a family, you look after them. If you have a commitment, you honour it. If you have a dream, pursue it. And if you have a talent, you’d better use it to put some good into the world. Do you understand me?”

“Yes Uncle Ben,” I said sincerely. Though I was a little unsure of what he was really trying to say to me… after all, I had just learned that I possessed super human powers - he couldn’t know that, could he? At any rate, I certainly saw the value in his words. Just hearing the certainty with which he said them, it made me want to be like him.

The next day was a weekend, and I was so thankful for it. I worked all of Saturday perfecting my polymer, and once that was done I had to make a costume.

“While I believe that a sixteen year old could make a scientific breakthrough and develop a new material, I doubt you could craft your super hero suit,” said a voice as I was sneaking through the spare art supplies at school. I turned around to see Norman Osborn, Harry’s wealthy father, CEO and founder of Oscorp.

“Do not worry, I am not interested in the peculiars of whatever it is you are actually doing, I was merely teasing about the super hero thing. Of course, if your cosplay or what-have-you needs that extra edge, there are new, super resistant fabrics at Oscorp. Provide a tailor with the specifications and your suit will be ready within two days.”

He paused a bit before adding, “Oh, and since it’s Sunday, I think it would beneficial for both of us to say nothing about this meeting to anyone.”

With all of that in mind, I spent the rest of Sunday trying to understand how my new hands and feet worked: how to stick and how not to stick. It seemed to be reliant on my focus and awareness. Too much focus and I would not be able to unstick, too little and the opposite would be true.

Personally, I had no idea what I would do once I had it all figured out. I had no intention of being a super villain or anything like that, but I felt too young and inexperienced to be a super hero. Maybe I could find a way to make money off of my powers. I was conflicted. On the one hand, of course someone should be paid for their time and services. On the other, the prevailing ethos around super heroes seemed to place them above the common sense that applies to every other job in the world.

Monday after school, I walked down to Central Park, to look at Captain America’s statue.

All of the legends about super soldiers in World War II, the declassified documents that suggest that at least some of them are true, and yet, Captain America is the only one to get a statue. But it does make one wonder what happened to The Wolverine, the Human Torch, Thor, Magneto, or Namor the Sub-Mariner. Who really existed, who’s still alive, et cetera.

I guess all of it started swirling around in my head after hearing Connors tell me about a future resurgence of super heroes. I could be one too… in a couple years. Spider-Man. Yeah.

It was all a bit overwhelming. I’d hoped the visit to Captain America’s statue would provide some sort of guidance, but instead it just reminded me of some crazy idea that the whole world was about to change. Well, maybe it wasn’t so crazy.

Tuesday I had my Spider-Man suit all designed, and sent the specifications to the Oscorp tailor via an email I had received at the front desk of Oscorp the other day.

I was anxious for the arrival of my suit on Thursday. I didn’t want to worry my aunt and uncle about this. I wanted as few people as possible involved in this. Luckily this tailor was sworn to secrecy and was probably not too invested in what I’d be using the suit for.

Thursday, straight after picking up my suit, I saw a poster that I just knew, somehow, would change my life forever. Amateur wrestling… beat the champion for a grand prize.

That night, I was going to be Spider-Man: the wrestling sensation!

“In the Champion’s corner: the Immovable Man, Golly G! And in the amateur corner, a weirdo in a halloween costume: Spider-Man!”

“Not how I expected to be introduced, but I guess the audience expects me to be some sort of heel. Well, I can work with that. Hey, Golly G! Was that the best your parents could come up with?”

“I was named by my fellow Wrestlers. You’re an outsider, Bug-Man!”

“I’m Spider-Man, pal,” I said as I shot a web at his arm and effectively tied it to his body.

“Wh-What the? This itsy-bitsy freak’s got some kind of weird power.”

To my surprise, the announcer then made clear that the fight would be moving into its second phase: a cage match.

“Perfect. Now you’re stuck in here with me,” said Golly.

“Actually, I think you’ll find that you’re not even on my level, big guy,” I said, before soaking up the boos from the crowd. In that moment I felt like I could get used to being a heel.

With adrenaline rushing through my veins, I crawled up the cage, and used my web shooters to tie up Golly and leave him hanging.

“The winner is… Spider-Man!”

The crowd that had been booing moments before was now cheering. Was it just the excitement of seeing a winner, or did I now possess some sort of underdog quality? I had never really watched much wrestling prior to this, so I didn’t understand how the crowd works, or what they reacted to.

The turning point of my life, however, began when I went to collect my prize money.

“Sorry kid, if you can’t give me your age and name, and agree to three months of full-time work, then you’re not eligible for the prize money. However, you can still help yourself to a consolation prize. Gaming headphones, a camera, whatever you like.”

Elsewhere, my Uncle Ben was grocery shopping, when someone tried to steal his car. He punched them in the jaw and knocked them out, though. When he told me the story, I couldn’t believe it. Even more unbelievable than that, the news that night happened to be a follow up to a story that Doctor Connors had shown me before.

“The four teenagers first believed to have died after an accident in space, have returned to Earth, now sporting super powers. Dubbed by eye witnesses and online commenters as the Fantastic Four, these teen super heroes say they plan to represent a new generation of hope.”

I was surprised by this news, but also inspired. Why wait until I’m older? I can be a super hero, right now. I was snapped out of my daydream by my uncle’s opinion.

“They say greatness is born from tragedy, but I don’t think that’s true. As long as you have the drive to do what’s right, anybody can be a great person.”

I agreed with him there. If he had died, and I felt at all responsible, I don’t think I could’ve done anything other than become a super hero. I felt lucky that the world had given me the opportunity of a choice, because I knew it was time for me to make the right one.

So, yeah, I swing from a web. I’m your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. And with the Fantastic Four in town, it looks like I’m not the only one looking out for the average person. Little did I know that my powers would soon make my world that much bigger.


	2. Fantastic Four

Learning to crawl up walls is like learning how to use a new sense or limb. It’s not something most people get to experience, and here I am doing something that no-one else can, at least to my knowledge. As I scaled the side of the Empire State Building, I was reminded of that group of teenagers. What are their powers? Having not paid attention to any interviews since they arrived on the scene, I wondered that very question.

\---

Peter Parker can only narrate the parts where he was present, right? So how to explain the parts where he wasn’t? Well, even though my glorious visage won’t appear for a few years yet, I, Deadpool, am here to help. And don’t worry, I’ll stay out of first person as much as possible, so if you don’t like me for some reason, just think of me as your average third person narrator. You may ask how I know about all this stuff. Well, I know everything about the Marvel Universe. It comes to me in my dreams. Some might say that makes me an unreliable narrator but—

\---

Oh, just get on with it!

\---

Who are you?

\---

I’m the real third-person narrator, and I was about to step in and do my job, but you snuck up behind me! If you can’t stop basking in your own self-importance and actually do a decent job as a third person narrator, why not just let me do my goddamn job?

\---

Touchy~. But now that I think about it, yeah, maybe you’d be better suited for the job. See y’all soon, lovelies.

\---

What a weirdo. Anyway, at the boarding house where the four teens had been living, the sixteen year old Reed Richards, fifteen year old Susan Storm, fourteen year old Jonathan Storm, and seventeen year old Benjamin Grimm were now relaxing after a long day - they had just defeated Mole Man and been formally introduced to the world by reporters and witnesses.

“The Fantastic Four, huh?” said Ben. “I don’t feel fantastic. I feel like a thing.”

“I light up like that android from World War II!” said Johnny. “What was his name, the Human Torch? Think I fit that name better than a possessed mannequin.”

“I always said I wanted to be invisible, but I never saw this coming,” said Sue.

“I can feel my powers stretching the lobes of my brain to new capacities. I was smart before, but now I think I might be on another level,” said Reed.

Before they could talk further, they were approached by Noah Baxter, current owner of the Baxter Building, which was once used as the base of operations for the All-Winners Squad, the unofficial name of the World War II era super hero team led by Captain America. When the group learned that he was interested in turning the building into their headquarters, they were ecstatic.

As the construction for their new headquarters began, Tony Stark, the young twenty year old inheritor of Stark Industries had finished his latest vanity project - a prototype suit of armour, powered by the arc reactor in his chest. He was developing this technology after the incident which necessitated a life-saving surgery left him feeling weak and helpless. The news of the Fantastic Four mildly pissed him off, as he had hoped to be the first super hero of the modern era.

This was far from the only development that would make the news that week. This was merely Thursday. On Friday, much more was set to happen. More on that later, as we now check back in with our favourite web-crawler.

\---

Oh, we’re back to me now? Good, I was starting to get bored.

So, I was at school, after my first day web-slinging there. Maybe not the wisest use of my powers, but if I disappear nearby and walk the rest of the distance, nobody’s the wiser. Well, it was definitely fun, but I should still take the bus every now and then to avoid predictability in that aspect. Though, I do wonder how I could fool Ben and May. Maybe I should just… take the bus in future. Man, having powers adds all kinds of problems to everyday situations.

Anyway, all day I couldn’t stop thinking about the Fantastic Four. It’d be so great to meet them. I thought it would be possible on the weekend, but after checking their social media, I learned they were going to be busy creating their headquarters in the Baxter Building. They’ve been known for a day and they’re already getting their own headquarters… they’ve even fought a super villain - that Mole Man guy. Well calm down Pete, you don’t need to compare yourself to every hero out there.

Speaking of, the recommended stories were all quite interesting… the scientist heroes Ant-Man and Wasp, the rampaging monster The Hulk, rumours of Thor returning to Earth, Stark Industries unveiling the Iron Man, and Professor Xavier pledges to open a new school.

Knowing that there was little I could do to meet up with the Fantastic Four, and not yet ready to go to the trouble of tracking down all these other heroes that were popping up, I decided I could focus on my life as Peter Parker for a little bit.

In high school my best friends are Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy. And I’m the target of ridicule by Flash Thompson. We were childhood friends, but he thinks my intelligence and lack of interest in sports makes me a loser. I think he’s just fallen into the traps of peer pressure. Everyone expects the quarterback to be a total jerk to the nerd, so that’s what he does. Once he graduates and has to go into the real world, he’ll grow up. How do I know this? He’s a big fan of super heroes.

“The Fantastic Four are amazing!”

“Hey Flash,” I said, hoping to perhaps turn this tired high school paradigm on its head. “You’re always picking on me because I’m a nerd, but Reed Richards was a nerd, too.”

“So, puny Parker? It’s not like your nerdy-ness made you a super hero or anything.”

After pushing me against a locker and walking past me as if the matter was settled, I realised I wasn’t going to get through to him straight away. Whatever, I have two more years of high school. If I can’t change his mind in that time, it won’t matter anyway.

“I can’t believe him. You try to find common ground and he brushes you off,” said Gwen.

“Some people just aren’t ready to challenge high school culture,” said Harry.

I spent the weekend with Harry at his place, studying. In between study sessions, we’d talk about the news. It seemed like more than just super heroes were coming out of the woodwork, as Iron Man defends his company from the mysterious saboteur Hawkeye. But that wasn’t all. New sightings confirmed the existence of The Hulk and the return of Loki as well as Thor. And though it was unclear what the goals of The Hulk were, if any, it seemed that at least he prevented a rampage from a different monster, Abomination. Magneto, former super hero turned revolutionary, had formally announced the opening of Genosha to all mutants seeking refuge. Ant-Man and the Wasp used their technology to develop a size-conscious prison, ironically named The Big House.

“Man, the world just distracts you, doesn’t it?” mused Harry. “Everything beyond our studies just seems so much larger. Say, how do you cope with being so smart?”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You read something in a book and then you just understand it. How do you not just rub it in everyone’s face?”

“Well, I wouldn’t be very deserving of my gifts if I was hell-bent on showing off.”

“I suppose, but you don’t have-”

At that moment, Norman Osborn came in, with some words that illustrated what Harry might’ve been about to say. “Son, are you slacking off? Hard work, Harry, it’s the only way to get anywhere in life. Be tenacious, and do not waste a single second of your time on efforts that do not advance your capabilities.”

I sensed a tinge of hypocrisy in Norman’s words, but couldn’t understand why. And since when was that a thing that I could do? How exactly were my senses being amplified by my newfound abilities? I had plenty of time to figure all of that out, I needed to shake off these thoughts and focus on helping my friend.

“It’s good that you want to socialise, but don’t rely on Peter’s intelligence to carry you, Harry. You have all the potential you could need, trust me.”

This time Norman was genuine. He was a shrewd man, but in his own way, I could tell that he cared for Harry. Luckily, I coached Harry fairly hard on Saturday, so when Sunday rolled around and I had to ditch him to fight my first bad guy, there were no hard feelings. Of course, the fighting part was a secret.

So who did Spider-Man have to fight? Well, it wasn’t some colourful super villain. It was a minor gang leader, going by the alias ‘The Undertaker’. Mister Undertaker was sloppy, because a little birdie got caught in my web, and told me his name was Conrad Eisenstadt. I was keen to confront him, as I had learned about his gang’s scam phone calls.

“Yeah, we call all sorts of people, but that’s just a side hustle,” said Conrad.

I looked around and noticed his office had blood stains on the left wall.

“Forgive the mess, you uh- costumed freak, but we don’t get many visitors. Alive anyway.”

This guy gave me the creeps. At first I thought it was my imagination running wild, but I ducked and swung around, and realised a thug had swung at me with a wooden plank.

“Really, a plank? What do they call you, Professor Plank?”

The thug was non-responsive, which led me to further banter.

“Come on buddy, this is a back and forth,” I said as I dodged his swings. “Don’t you have anything to say?”

“Woodman here is a mute,” said Conrad. “He doesn’t speak, he just takes action.”

I didn’t much care for the specifics, but I acknowledged his reply. “Oh, well I didn’t know that. Suppose it’s alright to fight in silence, if that’s your style.”

All this time I had been leading the big guy around the room, causing him to swing recklessly and miss every time. I figured that if I did so enough, he might completely lose sight of where he’s aiming, being too focused on where I am, that he might not realise what he hits once I have moved out of harm’s way. And sure enough…

I dodged once more and Woodman hit his boss squarely in the face, knocking him out.

“I’m surprised that The Undertaker didn’t leave while he had the chance. Guy has a lot of confidence in you, then? Too bad that this all happened.”

To finish things off, I perched atop Woodman and tricked him into hitting himself.

“These amateurs were too easy. Of course, having powers changes the game.”

\---

Unbeknownst to Spider-Man, a figure watched the whole thing through a monitor.

“The game is changed indeed,” said the man. “Still, while I have no qualms about a small timer like The Undertaker being removed from the board, I see the potential threat this spider poses. If he jeopardises my operations, I will have to take action.”

\---

Monday would bring me an opportunity I would not have expected, as I was practicing my web-slinging after school, enjoying the thrill of an urban jungle like only Spider-Man could. A blast of energy hit me and sent me through a building.

“Who did he hit?” asked a familiar voice I could not place. That was the last thing I heard before I was too far away from whatever was going on to hear any more. I snapped out of it as I was falling toward the ground and shot out a web, hoping to swing around the building and see what was going on. As I was doing so, however, I was greeted by another familiar voice.

“Wow, this one swings from a web. So, quick question, are you friend or foe?”

I looked at the source of the voice and realised that Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, was flying right besides me, using his flames to propel himself through the air.

“I’m your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, and I just got hit by an energy blast. So want to tell me who we’re up against?”

I was so grateful that the Human Torch took me at my word, because I didn’t want to fight the Fantastic Four, and I did want to know who hit me.

“Ah, you’re the one Doctor Doom hit. Good, I can tell Reed that you’re okay.”

“Doctor Doom? Man you guys have some strange enemies. And yet I’ve hardly fought anyone.”

“Publicity does a lot to attract the weirdos. But trust me, it’s probably for the best that you are yet to come up against super villains.”

“Johnny, who are you talking to?” asked Mister Fantastic.

“He says his name is Spider-Man. I think we can trust him.”

“Johnny, now is not the time to making new friends,” said The Thing. “We’re in the middle of a fight. Sue, cover me!”

Invisible Girl put up a shield to block Doctor Doom’s attacks as Thing approached him.

“So, uh, do you guys need any help here?” I said as the Human Torch and I landed on the rooftop where Doctor Doom and three of the Fantastic Four were fighting.

“Four against one isn’t enough for you, Reed?” asked Doom.

“Hey, you’re the one who hit me, Doom and Gloom,” I retorted.

“Hm, he has a point. We’ll talk later Spider-Man, you should stay out of our fight,” said Reed.

“Reed’s never steered us wrong before, so sorry Spider-Man. Just sit this one out,” said Johnny.

It was surreal to be sidelined so fast, but as I was still new to all of this, I just stood there and watched as the Fantastic Four defeated their second super villain.

“This isn’t the last you’ll see of Doom!” he said before making his escape.

The reporters arrived soon after and the Fantastic Four explained that they made me watch as they weren’t sure if they could trust me.

\---

“And where is this Spider-Man now?” asked a reporter.

“Looks like he’s not a fan of the spotlight,” said Johnny.

“I’m sure we’ll see him again soon,” said Sue.

\---

Late at night in my room, I sensed someone outside my window.

“I figured you were a teenager,” said Reed. “Not many heroes our age, that I know of anyway.”

“And how did you…” I started to ask before being cut off.

“I figured your origin had to be related to spider research, so I asked Curtis Connors if he knew anything about someone who could swing from a web. He says he doesn’t know how you’re doing it but that it had to be you.”

“Why would he tell you something like that?”

“Because he trusts me to be looking out for the interests of all people. Humanity could greatly benefit from your polymer, Peter Parker.”

“How did you-”

“Deduction. I collected samples of the stuff from the area where we first encountered you.”

“And you know that it dissolves in an hour?”

“Yes, and I also figure that widespread use of such a polymer could also be disastrous. I’m only giving you suggestions on what course of action to take.”

“I want to be a super hero. I can climb walls and dodge incoming attacks. I can do things I never could before. And my polymer lets me swing from a web.”

“I can tell you’ve put thought and effort into this. Well, I do trust you. It’s always nice to have a hero who’s in it for the right reasons.”

“What do you mean?”

“This may be contentious, but if I might be so bold, do not trust Tony Stark.”

\---

“Puny green man come to challenge Hulk? Call him monster?” roared an angry Hulk.

“No, I’ve just come to say that you’re no match for my brother Thor,” said a shadowy figure.

“Thor is not stronger than Hulk! Hulk is strongest there is!”

Inside the Hulk’s mind, Bruce Banner screamed. “No, you big green imbecile! This is a trap, Loki is only out to cause mischief! Why won’t you listen to me?”

\---

“More and more of our tech goes missing, and shows up in the hands of Advanced Idea Mechanics,” said Pepper Potts. “Tony, I don’t think your little Iron Man idea will do much to change this. Can’t we be smarter about this?”

“I am being smarter, Pepper. Have a little faith. I know the first model was very clunky, even with the alterations I made, but this new model is much lighter, more durable, I even look the part.”

“Just don’t go overboard with this super hero stuff. You’re a workaholic as it is.”

\---

“Look Janet, I did as you asked and repurposed my ant communications suit for hypothetical super heroics, but I’m not sure I see the purpose in wearing it around the lab,” said Hank Pym.

“You never know when a bad guy might show up at the lab and try to beat us up. You gotta be ready for anything,” said Janet van Dyne.

“Must we engage in violence? Surely there must be ways to resolve disputes without such primitive methodology,” said Hank.

“Lighten up, Hank, they’re the bad guys. You don’t need to feel bad about punching them.”

“I don’t want violence to become a cycle. Most violent people come from abusive homes, or crime-ridden neighbourhoods. There are core issues that go unaddressed in the human condition.”

Janet sighed and shrugged. “Maybe we’re just of two different minds on this, but using violence to stop someone else from being violent - it’s necessary, and it feels good.”


	3. The Avengers

“Mjolnir will smite thee, creature!” yelled Thor.

“Hulk smash hammer fairy!” yelled Hulk.

A battle between Thor and Hulk had begun on the docks, exactly as Loki had planned it. He sat and watched from a safe distance, overcome with glee.

The incident did not go unnoticed, as Iron Man, who had been flying by, joined the skirmish.

“This vile green creature challenged me to a duel of strength,” said Thor. “I simply cannot tell whether he is friend, foe, or simply mindless beast.”

“Hulk is strongest there is! Puny fairies cannot beat Hulk!”

“Well, he seems to speak some English,” said Iron Man. “By the way, are you Thor?”

“Verily, and who might you be, flying metal man?”

“I’m Iron Man.”

“Metal fairy interferes!” said Hulk.

“Ooh, the big guy knows a big word,” said Iron Man.

Wasp and Ant-Man happened to be nearby, herding an ant-colony toward a specific goal, all as a training exercise, when Wasp returned to normal size to check out the noise.

“Wasp?” asked Iron Man. “Well the more help the merrier. Thor and I are trying to figure out what the Hulk’s deal is.”

“Shoot first, ask questions later, right?”

“Wait, Wasp, we don’t know what his goal is!” said Iron Man.

Wasp started blasting the Hulk, but it was having no visible effect.

“That tickles, fairy girl!” declared Hulk. “Does fairy girl want to challenge Hulk too? Hulk is strongest there is! Will take on all challengers!”

A kid who had wandered into the scene threw a rock at the Hulk’s back. The Hulk turned and smiled. “Kid, you not a challenger. Go away.”

The kid ran off laughing, and as the super heroes wondered where that kid had come from, Hulk began to laugh. He laughed so hard he calmed down, and turned back into Bruce Banner.

“Huh? That’s the first time he’s let me regain control willingly. What happened?”

“So the rumour was true,” said Iron Man. “Bruce Banner was the Hulk.”

Thor and Iron Man caught Wasp, Ant-Man, and Bruce Banner up to speed on what they knew, and Bruce Banner explained that he vaguely remembers seeing Loki before he last became the Hulk. Thor, Iron Man, Wasp, and Ant-Man agree to team up to find Loki, and Bruce apologises for the lack of control he has over the Hulk.

“Lately I wonder if I could turn him into a force for good. A super hero like you guys. But a raging green monster obsessed with strength, who would trust him to save lives? I would… but I fear for the judgment of other people.”

“Hey now, there’s no reason why you can’t be a hero,” said Wasp.

This caused Ant-Man to raise an eyebrow, as he recalled their earlier conversations about moral alignment and other such things. He then figured that perhaps she was in the process of gaining a broader perspective on people. Perhaps it was not something you could tell her, but rather a truth that she needed to see with her own eyes.

\---

It was Wednesday when I heard the news about The Avengers. So Iron Man, Wasp, Ant-Man, Thor, and The Hulk had formed a super hero team? How was that going to work? I can’t imagine threats requiring all of their talents at once… but I suppose this Loki guy they fought must have been tough, or perhaps tricky.

It seemed like heroes truly were entering a new era. I was glad to be a part of it, but frustrated that despite my efforts, there was nothing for me to do as a super hero… well, other than saving cats and retrieving stolen bikes. The small stuff was definitely gratifying, and I know I should be thankful that I had yet to come across any super villains, but there was something off about the fact that all the super heroes around me were fighting costumed baddies, and I hadn’t even seen one!

\---

It is at this moment in time, Peter Parker would learn to be careful what he wishes for, as his first major obstacle would come in the most unexpected way, at least from his perspective.  
Oscorp was infamous for controversies involving its former employees. Adrian Toomes, who in his spare time developed some flight tech for Oscorp, in hopes to become a notable inventor, was rebuked for his age and general demeanour being deemed ‘unpalatable’. Though this story was only in its infancy. The more immediate story would come from elsewhere.

A large, fancy building with the word ‘Fisk’ on it was the primary location of a meeting between Norman Osborn, and the mysterious individual who had previously observed Spider-Man’s defeat of The Undertaker.

“I can confirm that the Spider-Man is real, Norman.”

“Yes, the problem is that he hides like a spider. The Fantastic Four and The Avengers have the public eye on them. They’re known quantities. With an unknown on the board, well, it makes me want to bring _him_ out again.”

“Please don’t Norman. The Green Goblin has faded from public memory, and for good reason.”

“Apologies, Wilson. Though I do think bringing the Spider-Man out into the open should be our main priority. Our mutual partner has the resources and connections to conduct off-the-record human experiments. Even just one super villain hyper-focused on the web-crawler will draw that spider out from wherever it hides, if only for the brief moment in which it entangles its prey.”

“You make an excellent case, Norman. I am glad to have you as a business partner.”

Elsewhere, William Baker, alias Flint Marko, was an average prisoner, serving time for armed robbery, remorseful knowing that he was missing his daughter’s childhood. Though he would also not be of great significance until later, either.

The simple fact was, gears were turning, and it would not be long before Spider-Man would be forced to confront one super villain after another. Lionel Thompson Lincoln, alias Tombstone, was well-known in underground circles as someone who could get things done. Norman, Tombstone, and Wilson Fisk gathered a team of reliable brains and existing specialists. Phineas Mason, alias The Tinkerer. Ronald Hilliard, alias Supercharger. Dmitri Smerdyakov, alias The Chameleon. Lastly, a regular Oscorp scientist, Otto Octavius.

The challenge that Spider-Man would first face… it was up in the air, and all depended on who came to surface first.

A local paper, that had been struggling as of late, the Daily Bugle, was operating on a slow news day, not for lack of stories, but lack of interest from the publisher, J. Jonah Jameson.

“Super heroes? And what the hell is so goddamn interesting about the Fantastic Four or The Avengers? And this Spider-Man… nobody likes spiders, how is that a super hero name? Honestly, there should be more value placed on real heroes. Ordinary people risking their lives. Doctors, firemen, astronauts, reporters. Well that last one varies depending on the story, but anyway…”

“Sir, you are rambling again,” said Editor in Chief, Robbie Robertson.

“And? I’m allowed to ramble, it’s a free country, goddamn it!”

That night, J. Jonah Jameson would be abducted by The Chameleon and replaced. The next morning, he began his impersonation, with a declaration of sorts.

“I want photos of the web-head on my desk as soon as humanly possible!” he yelled, and his demeanour had no-one questioning whether or not he was actually J. Jonah.

Strange looks were given by all staff present, and then he added, “I mean the Spider-Man! If this costumed freak is real, I want our newspaper to be the first to scoop up pictures.”

With that, the race was on. As soon as it was clear that the Daily Bugle had such a plan, every paper, website, or social media personality in the city was looking for pictures of Spider-Man.

\---

It was Thursday morning and I was having breakfast with my aunt and uncle. It was then I noticed Ben was reading the Daily Bugle.

“Uncle Ben, you still reading the newspaper?”

“Yep. I like the feeling of the paper in my hands. Even if newspapers are resorting to the same low standards as everything else in order to stay afloat, it’s important to support your local businesses where possible. I have friends that work at the Daily Bugle, if people like me didn’t buy the paper, they’d be out of a job.”

“That’s a noble way of looking at it, Uncle Ben, but I’m not sure if…”

“Don’t argue with me about this, Peter.”

“You know him, he’s stuck in his ways,” chimed in Aunt May. “I’m the same. I much prefer TV to Netflix, you know.”

“Okay, okay, I get it. ‘Don’t mess with the classics’ or something to that effect, right?”

It was then that I noticed an ad in the Daily Bugle.

‘Wanted: Photos of Spider-Man?’ I thought as I read it. I could get those, I recently claimed a new camera from that amateur wrestling match. I had a hobby in photography, though I’d never thought to use it for journalistic purposes. Even as a teen, I’m sure getting photos of Spider-Man could get me some money coming in. Though May and Ben could afford all their bills at this time, having something extra would make things a little easier for all of us. I thought on it as I went to school that day.

\---

At the city’s main power station, Supercharger was preparing to absorb all of the power in the city. ‘My father was ahead of the game when it came to superhuman research… he gave me super powers, at the cost of his life. If I can discourage the idealism surrounding super-humans, then it doesn’t matter if I’m the villain. As long as there are fewer super-humans, the world will be safer’. Ronald Hilliard genuinely believed this, and as he prepared to drain the city’s power grid, he was greeted by an unfamiliar but welcome sight.

\---

I was swinging through the city, camera safely deposited in my new spider-belt. It felt weird to be relying on Oscorp technicians to help me out with this stuff, but I suppose the limits of being a teenager do require it. As I thought of this, I was reminded of Curt Connors. So he suspects that I’m Spider-Man, but hasn’t come to me about it? What’s up with that? Should I go to him? I was snapped out of my thoughts as I sensed something going on nearby. The power station? What could be happening there? Why do I have this unshakeable feeling that I need to investigate?

One short trip later and I was confronted with a man in a costume. Could it be? Little old me gets to fight a super villain? I contained myself, and decided the best approach to crime-fighting would be to treat it as if I’m the underdog in a fight.

“Hey man, nice orange and blue suit. Though you kind of look like a battery.”

“That’s the idea, web-head. I’m Supercharger!”

The super villain absorbed some of the electricity from nearby conductors and released in my direction as a bolt of energy.

“Okay, got it, you’re the Electric Man. Sorry, Supercharger. Well, I think I already know what’ll calm you down, a nice little dosage of your own design…”

Knowing how electricity works, I knew that if I played it right, all the energy he absorbed could be redirected back into what he had absorbed it from. All I would have to do then is keep him away from any power sources. Without power to absorb, he won’t be able to fight. I was glad that at least he could not generate any of his own electricity.

My hypothesis was right and the battle was rather short and simple. I left him in webbing for the police, and I collected my camera from where I had hidden it.

All of my photos were useless! Either the lack of lighting in the power station made things too dark, or the electrical flashes made them too bright. I wanted my first pictures of Spider-Man to commemorate my first super villain fight, but it didn’t turn out right. Just as well, thinking about it, it seemed a bit selfish. The priority was to take pictures. So I found a secluded place to setup my camera, as I swung from a web. Hopefully that should make it seem like a teen had taken them. I mean, I wanted professional, but not ‘how could he possibly get a picture from that angle?’

The next day, I presented my photos of Spider-Man to the Daily Bugle, though they almost ran me out, but the Editor-in-Chief had the patience to see my pictures.

“Really, this is Spider-Man? Red and blue? What, is he trying to prove he’s bipartisan?” shouted J. Jonah Jameson, the publisher.

“I think he’s just being colourful,” said Robbie.

“Yeah, and green is colourful, so why isn’t he green?”

“That’s The Hulk’s colour, and spiders aren’t green,” said Peter Parker.

“And? Iron Man uses red, Ant-Man uses red, Thor has a red cape, and the Fantastic Four have blue suits! I don’t know what you’re trying to say about anything.”

“And what are you trying to say, sir?” asked Robbie.

“That I don’t trust Spider-Man!”

\---

Tony Stark had arbitrarily decided to turn the five-hero team up into a permanent super hero team, by Pepper’s and Harold Hogan’s reckoning, it was to not be shown up by the Fantastic Four. Though Ant-Man and Wasp were on board as they saw the practicality in being a team of heroes.

“Honestly, we’d join the Fantastic Four if we could,” said Janet. “Unfortunately they branded themselves on the fact that there’s only four of them.”

“Yes, and I must say, I really like the name you came up with, Janet,” said Hank.

“Verily,” said Thor. “It conveys the might of our camaraderie. But who, pray tell, are we avenging on this or any other occasion?”

“We’ll fight on behalf of those who cannot fight for themselves,” said Bruce. “But, I feel that I don’t deserve my position among you, not yet. I need to be able to keep the Hulk in check. I know he’s more than a raging monster, but the public doesn’t. I need to show the world the Hulk is a hero before I can be in a team of heroes. His damaged reputation will just drag all of you down with him at this time. Please trust me, I will be back.”

Bruce then promptly left, to the speechlessness of everyone. It was then that Thor brought up something no-one else had.

“This is a very nice house. Is the Iron Man an elite socialite of some description?”

“Billionaire,” said Tony. “Burgeoning philanthropist. My father’s Stark Industries got rich quick selling weapons, I want to make technological innovations.”

“Anyway, I was about to explain that this is an old family home, that I have now had repurposed as The Avengers general headquarters,” continued Tony.

“So, can we live here?” asked Wasp.

“If you want to. It would make convening for missions easier. But we are all free to come and go as we please. Bruce left before I could hand these out, but…”

Tony handed ID cards to Wasp, Ant-Man, and Thor. “They’re Avengers ID cards. They give you access to this mansion’s various services. Banner has one, and once he’s ready to come back, it’ll still be here for him.”

\---

The papers on Friday would have the first incendiary articles about Spider-Man. I wondered how this would affect Spider-Man’s standing with other super heroes, or the public. I dreaded the idea that people would rebuke my help out of their mind being changed by the Daily Bugle’s speculative opinion pieces.

“That Spider-Man sounds awful,” said Aunt May.

“Bah, I think they’re jumping to conclusions. I saw Spider-Man help get a kitten out of a tree on one of my walks. He’s shorter than I thought a super hero would be, but it’s clear he has a good heart. But I wonder what got into the Daily Bugle,” said Uncle Ben.

“It’s J. Jonah Jameson,” I said. “He doesn’t trust Spider-Man.”

“Oh that’s right, our nephew here took the photos. So what’s your opinion on Spider-Man?”

“I think he’s a super hero, but more of a private one. He might not be with the Fantastic Four or The Avengers, but he tries to help where he can.”

“So are you his stalker or something?”

“Ben! How could you ask Pete something like that?”

“It’s alright, Aunt May. I keep a lookout for him, but he asked me to. He even gave me this camera,” I said as I pulled the camera out of my pocket. I figured it would be a good cover if either of them or anyone else had questions about how I got the photos of Spider-Man.

“Well, it’s nice to see you turning a hobby into a revenue stream. Shows entrepreneurship.”

The conversation mostly died down after that, and during the break between classes, I was catching up on the super hero news with Harry and Gwen. Apparently, Magneto had come back to America, to demonstrate his powers by destroying the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.

He was foiled by fellow mutants, a new team calling themselves the X-Men. Though details of this team were not all confirmed, it seems that footage of the incident showed that one was a man with wings, another was made of ice, one shot blasts from his eyes, one was a woman with telekinesis, and there was a burly person who moved like a wild animal. From the footage it was hard to determine their gender, so I opted not to assume.

\---

Though Peter Parker had no way of knowing, the formation of the X-Men was something in parallel to his first super villain encounter, the formation of The Avengers, and the turning wheels that would lead to his eventual battles with several other super villains. Professor Charles Xavier had not planned on turning his mutant students into a new super hero team, but as necessity is the mother of invention, he opted to do what was right.


	4. X-Men

Professor Charles Xavier had spent the time since pledging to open his school going all over the country looking for his first class. He wanted to start small, to test his capabilities as a teacher. His hope was that these first students would then become teachers themselves.

He picked up Robert Drake, a fifteen year old boy with ice powers. Jean Grey, a seventeen year old telepath and telekinetic. Scott Summers, a seventeen year old whose eyes emitted a constant optic blast, that could be absorbed by ruby quartz. Warren Worthington III, an eighteen year old boy who had somehow managed to keep his wings hidden from his anti-mutant family. And last but not least, Henry ‘Hank’ McCoy, a nineteen year old who had been getting hairier and beastlier since starting puberty. Though he thought himself near the end of puberty, he wondered what the end result of his transformation would be.

“Now that I have gathered you all here, it is time for the first class to begin. Welcome to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters,” said Xavier.

The first class was an orientation. Each of the students would introduce themselves, state what they thought about their powers and what they wanted to be when they grew up. The former was done separately from the latter.

“I wanted to be a comedian,” said Bobby. “But then I realised how cool my ice powers were, pun intended.” He then winked at Jean.

“Hey man, what was that about?” said Scott.

“Hey man,” said Iceman, mimicking the way Scott had said it. “I wink at girls, it’s not that deep, it’s a quirk I developed so I can feel more confident around them.”

“Well, please don’t do it again,” said Scott.

“I make no promises, but I’ll remember that you have a stick in your butt.”

Jean chuckled before saying, “Don’t worry Scott, I can take the stick out if you want.”

Warren burst into laughter. “Man, I don’t get to see this level of humanity from my father’s stuffy business events.”

“Anyway, it was my turn,” said Hank. “I want to be a scientist, and I feel thankful that despite the rapid change in my physical body, I still retain my intelligence.”

“These powers of mine made me lose all hope,” said Scott. “I never had the time to dream about my future, I barely even thought I had one.”

“That…” said Jean. “Well, my story is very similar. I don’t even know how else I could put it.”

“I’ve hidden my wings from my parents because they hate mutants,” said Warren. “They want me to do what they do, wear what they wear, go where they go. All I’ve ever wanted was to spread my wings and fly free.”

This was the small team that would soon be counted among The Avengers and the Fantastic Four as a major emerging super hero team. Now one might ask, how is it that three of the most prominent teams all came about at the same time, in the same place? There is an answer, but it would remain a mystery for some time, as no-one was yet ready to hear it.

\---

I wanted to meet the heroes that stopped Magneto from destroying two bridges. Of course he had still done damage, but he had not succeeded in doing as he had planned. Now his deeds had thrown his goodwill for Genosha into question. Many were already skeptical given that he had exiled the previously existing population for their hatred of mutants, setting them adrift in the open ocean, their fate as of yet, even after all these years, unconfirmed. He had justified the act saying that they were guilty of killing mutants, and so deserved whatever befell them.

Personally, I thought a lot of that stuff made things so much bleaker than they needed to be. I couldn’t understand why Magneto would act in such ways. And what was his purpose in destroying the bridges? According to old documents, Magneto had been a part of the All-Winners Squad. What could have made him into the person he was now? Or was there not much difference in the person who fought in World War II and the person who claims mutants are superior?

Anyway, brushing all thoughts about Magneto aside, I definitely wanted to meet the X-Men. The trouble was, I had no idea how to find them. I figured maybe the Fantastic Four or Avengers might know something. Maybe they wouldn’t, but it was as good a place as any to start.

I swung across town, headed for the Baxter Building. I was looking forward to seeing the Four again, hopefully get to actually get their names and powers. I had seem them in action, and gotten the gist, but a proper explanation couldn’t hurt.

I was welcomed in, to my surprise. “So you don’t distrust me after that Daily Bugle article?”

“Pfft, who reads the Bugle?” said Reed. “You’re a hero in our books.”

“Have you fought any super villains yet?” asked Johnny.

“There was a guy at the power station who could absorb and release electricity. He called himself Supercharger.”

“Nice!”

“I came to ask if you guys knew anything about the X-Men.”

“They’re a mystery,” said Reed. “They look to be teenage heroes like us, and circumstantial evidence suggests they may be mutants. Rumour has it that Professor Charles Xavier is a mutant. Again, none of this is proven, and just going to his school to investigate could send the wrong message. If the X-Men want to let other super heroes know what they’re about, I’m sure they’ll come to us.”

“Yeah, it’s not the sixties anymore, unless a resurgence in anti-mutant propaganda occurs, there’s no difference between mutants and super-humans,” said Ben.

“That’s something that worries me,” said Sue. “How would super-humans be able to live with themselves knowing that mutants, who are functionally indistinguishable from them, are being persecuted? Plus regular people likely won’t put up with mutant search parties going door-to-door.”

“Yes, that part of the sixties was weird. It’s no wonder it stays mostly forgotten. The weirdest thing is that mutants have never been particularly common historically,” said Reed. “Though maybe their history is just never written, and so gets forgotten.”

“Seems like a real tragedy,” said Johnny. “But back to the topic of the X-Men, I wanna go meet them. Especially that guy with ice powers.”

“Personally I wonder about the animalistic guy,” said Ben.

“I wanna meet the girl,” said Sue.

“Hm, it seems I’m outnumbered on this issue. Luckily, Xavier has a public phone number for his school, so I’ll call and ask to meet him.”

One phone call later, and I was informed that Xavier would be bringing his students to the Baxter Building tomorrow.

“So I’ll come back tomorrow, alright?” I said to the Four.

“You’re always welcome, Spider-Man,” said Reed.

It turns out I didn’t even need to ask The Avengers. It’s just as well, I don’t know how I’d go about introducing myself to any of them. Reed had told me not to trust Tony Stark, I didn’t know much about Ant-Man or Wasp, and Thor is an actual Norse God. Hulk… despite people seeing him as a monster, I think he’s probably the most approachable.

Saturday came and I went out as Spider-Man to the Baxter Building.

\---

“I can’t believe we’re about to meet the Fantastic Four!” said Iceman. “How did you arrange this, Professor X?”

“Reed Richards called me. It seems his group is interested in meeting the X-Men. I thought it would make things easier if more public super heroes knew about our existence.”

“Are we meeting The Avengers, too?” asked Jean.

“Maybe, I know at least one hero not affiliated with the Four is going to show up.”

\---

When I arrived at the Baxter Building, I was escorted to a waiting area by Johnny, where Sue and Ben were hanging out.

“Reed decided to make the whole thing extra special. After you left, he swallowed his pride and called Tony Stark,” said Ben. “The Avengers are coming.”

Once The Avengers arrived, our three groups were all brought together.

Professor Xavier introduced his five students and the pseudonyms they had chosen: Bobby, Iceman; Scott, Cyclops; Jean, Marvel Girl; Warren, Angel; and Hank, Beast.

Then Ant-Man, Wasp, Iron Man, and Thor introduced themselves.

Lastly the Fantastic Four introduced themselves, and then I was left to introduce myself on my own, as the members of three super teams, fourteen people, looked at me expectantly.  
“I’m your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, it’s nice to meet you all.”

Now that the ice was broken, everyone soon began to relax and start to have normal conversations with one another. Iceman and Human Torch each liked different sports teams, the realisation leading to a friendly rivalry. Thing and Beast got along well, Reed seemed to have a lot to talk about with Tony and the professor, Wasp and Angel talked about flying, and I would have been on my own, not knowing who to approach, if Thor had not stood beside me.

“A group of fifteen super heroes is nothing short of unprecedented,” he said. “Verily, should any threat come to this planet, it should be well-guarded. Though I wonder if such a large group would ever gather in one place like this again. Well, it is nice to meet you, Spider-Man. I read a rather antiquated manuscript that said some questionable things about you, but I am not so unfamiliar with the ways of man. To lie, for one’s own benefit, it is truly a sad mechanism.”

“I wasn’t expecting to meet The Avengers today as well,” I said. “But it’s nice to know that every one here is on the same page.”

“Of course!” said Thor. “’Tis only natural that heroes should stand together. Though with our number being as it is, I can only wonder how the world of villainy will respond.”

\---

Otto Octavius was staring at his recent innovation, mechanical arms that could do as the wearer wished. ‘You could be a super villain, too, Otto’ whispered a voice in his head. ‘No, I don’t want to hurt anyone. Who are you, anyway?’

‘Oh, but don’t you get it? You’re about to start human experimentation. This can’t be what you want to do, can it?’

‘I don’t know what I want, leave me alone.’

‘Oh, we both know that’s a lie.’

‘What do you think I should do?’

‘Go your own way, Otto. These people are best left behind. You are an evil genius.’

\---

‘The name Adrian Toomes has been ridiculed for the last time!’ thought Adrian as he paced his room. ‘My technology is state of the art. But if I can’t have the credit, I should show the world what it looks like, before anyone else can! They will fear me, but the only question remains… how do I present myself?’

He then noticed a poster he had taken from Central Park for a bird-watching show. He decided that he would start there.

\---

Flint Marko could not believe his luck. He was getting out on good behaviour if he did some people on the outside a favour. He wasn’t sure who these people were that they could pull such strings, but he didn’t care. He wanted to see his daughter again.

\---

“So, Ronald didn’t work out,” said Norman. “Are you sure that the Green Goblin wouldn’t be the perfect foil for our little bug?”

“No. Speaking of bugs, I recently ‘bugged’ the Baxter Building. Our Spider-Man is making friends with the Fantastic Four, The Avengers, and the new X-Men.”

“Yes, too many heroes is a problem. Especially when we are only interested in one.”

“This is where I believe that nature will find a way. I knew a group that talked about the balance of the universe, yin and yang. I doubt we are the only ones thinking about keeping the costumed freaks busy by inundating them with ready-made enemies.”

\---

Their estimation was truer than they could have known, as The Hulk stood defeated by an opponent he could not have been ready for: a gamma-irradiated genius, calling himself The Leader. This would be the first of several new villains to emerge as the year went by.

\---

As I lie in bed, I thought about the future. Spider-Man had changed my life, but the bigger my world as a super hero became, the harder it felt to accept it as ‘my life’. More and more, I was beginning to wonder whether Spider-Man was just a spider on the wall, bearing witness to things that had no bearing on his life. As Peter Parker, I’m a high school student. As Spider-Man, I know all of the other big super hero teams. I’m even welcome at the Baxter Building, Avengers Mansion, or Xavier’s School. It’s surreal how welcoming they’ve all been, it’s like the beginning of a club. Then a thought hit me: how long will this last? How many super heroes will there be in the future?

I tried not to think too much about it as I drifted off to sleep.


End file.
